A/N: This is an AU. Harry defeated Voldemort at the end of the first book. None of the other events happened, or if they did, they happened in a very different way. Some folks still have it out for him, but not with the backing of a barely competent dark lord.

Charles Brown, a seemingly middle-aged man with nondescript British features, met his daughter, Lavender, at the doors of the school. She looked as she usually did - very pretty, with a heart-shaped face, long blonde ringlets, and piercing eyes that seemed to see everything. He had always thought that she looked like her mother. She didn't get much from him, but she had always been a "daddy's girl". Even from when she was very young, she was always following him around. There were so many evenings when he couldn't go to sleep in his own bed because his daughter had sprawled out on him. And yet, he could never bring himself to remove her. She may have been a "daddy's girl", but he could never refuse his daughter anything.

Which was why he was standing at the doors of Hogwarts, looking down at a very different daughter than he was used to seeing. There was something in her eyes. He couldn't quite place it. But it worried him.

She followed him wordlessly to a room set up for just these purposes, and both of them walked in and closed the door after themselves. The room was absolutely quiet except for the sound of their footsteps, and then the scraping of chairs against the floor.

She sat quietly, her hands in her lap, not trusting herself to speak.

"Lav-lav," he said quietly, using the pet name for her he'd given her when she was two years old and could barely pronounce her own name. He pulled out a letter from his coat pocket. "What is this?"

She looked up, and there were tears in her eyes. "I… saw…"

"You saw what?", he asked, gently, but with a twinge of annoyance.

"I saw his scars," she blurted out. "The ones on his back. The ones his relatives gave him."

"You… how?"

She turned beet red. "No one told you?", she asked, suddenly very shy.

"Told me what?"

She lowered her head. Even her ears were red. "Someone cursed us. Me, and him. The curse was… an ancient one. No one knew the countercurse. We had to… we had to…"

"Oh, good grief. Out with it, girl!", he said, losing his patience.

"We had to shag. If we didn't, we would… we would… the curse would have killed us."

"You had to what? Who told you this?"

"Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore told you someone cast a curse on you, no one knew the countercurse, and you had to… shag…," he spat the word like it was a curse word, "or you would die?"

She nodded her head, mutely.

"And…?"

She turned even redder.

He sighed. "He took your…"

Fire was now in her eyes as she turned her gaze on him. "He did. He was gentle and considerate and… and… it was perfect, daddy. I couldn't have wished for better. Don't you dare say anything against him!"

He set the paper on the table. "You love him, don't you?"

"I've only known him for two days, daddy. How could I…," but her tone gave her away.

"Don't lie to me, Lav-lav."

She sighed. "I don't know. But I could. I easily could. He… he… treats me like I'm the most important thing in the world to him, when I'm with him."

"Are you sure it's not because of the intimacy -"

"NO!", she said, almost shouting. "No, daddy!", she said again, after she calmed down a little. "You don't understand. He didn't want to! I think a part of him thought he was a very lucky bloke, and that was really nice. A girl always wants to be wanted. He's a boy, daddy. Boys have been trying to get in my knickers ever since I became a woman! So I don't blame him for having a good time and enjoying my body, since he was in that position anyway. It's completely understandable." She turned red. "But he wanted love! He was sad that he had to… that… it was like that. He did the best he could under the circumstances, but he was not happy about it."

They were quiet.

"He… he tried very hard to make it as special as he could. He treated me like he would if he loved me. He said so himself! Even though we were both forced into it. That's who he is, daddy. Don't you dare lay a finger on him for this!"

He was quiet for a while. "No, if someone cursed you, he's not responsible. If Dumbedore was playing his usual games, he's not responsible. You are… alright?"

"More than alright, daddy. I… didn't want it. But it was… better than I could have imagined. I am fine. I am not hurt, I am not… violated. I had a…, " she turned red again, "very good time. I am completely fine," she said. "I am still a little sore…"

"STOP", he said, forcefully. He took a moment to gain his composure. "You're still my little girl, and you just became a woman in a very real way. I don't… I don't need to know the details!"

She lowered her eyes, embarrassedly, and muttered out an apology. That *was* too far.

He regained his composure. "I do need to talk to him, Lav-lav. Even if only because of this letter", he said, waving it in the air.

She sighed. "Be nice to him, daddy. Please, be nice to him. His relatives… his scars… He-who-must-not-be-named… this… don't add to it. Please."

He nodded. "If he is as you describe, I have no reason not to. But I won't hold back my questions, little one."

She got up from her chair, walked over to her father, and hugged him. "I trust you, daddy. But please trust me too. You know I… know when someone's lying. He never did. Not even once."

She let him go and walked to the door. "I'll let a professor know that you need to speak with him."

"If anyone asks, tell them it's family business. Because, frankly, it is. And Lav-lav?"

She stopped, her hand on the knob.

"I still love you. You'll always be my little girl. Nothing will ever change that."

She smiled wanly at him and walked out the door. He knew her well enough that she was leaving before he could see her tears. Always his little girl. He wiped a tear away from his own face. He would have to talk to his wife about giving her a "talk". A bit too late for the "wizards and witches" talk, but he knew his daughter. Her heart was very open, and she may not have been ready for the consequences, forced upon her as they may have been.

And he was also going to have a talk with Dumbledore as well. He had not been told, and that was not forgivable. That talk was not going to go well. For Dumbledore.

A few minutes later, Harry Potter cautiously opened the door and carefully walked in. He sat as far away from Lavender's father as he could, and looked like he wanted to be absolutely anywhere else. To Charles' surprise, Lavender walked back in and sat next to Harry.

"Lav-lav, please leave."

Harry looked over to his left. "Lav-lav?", he asked, a teasing smirk on his face.

Lavender looked mortified. "Daddy, I'm staying. Even if you just completely embarrassed me." She glared at Harry. "Don't. Even."

Harry raised his hands in mock surrender, and she lightly punched him on the arm. She then took his hand and very pointedly held it on top of the table, so her father could see it. "I'm not going, daddy. Not unless he doesn't want me here." She squeezed Harry's hand comfortingly.

Harry looked at Lavender, then at her father. He looked very much like a deer caught in the pixie light.

Charles spoke up. "Fine. You can stay. But please don't interrupt."

She nodded.

Charles schooled his face into a stern look. "What are your intentions towards my daughter?"

Lavender's face turned murderous, but she kept quiet. Harry could feel her hand shaking with rage. Harry just looked levelly at Charles.

"I have none."

"My daughter tells me you… 'shagged' her."

"I did."

"And so? What are your intentions?"

"I have no intentions towards your daughter."

"Why not?"

Lavender was really close to exploding, but she kept her word. Harry could feel the heat coming from her hand, and she had a death grip on him.

"Because we were forced into this. I did what I had to to save both of our lives. We enjoyed ourselves very much" - he looked at Lavender, whose eyes softened just a little with the memory. "But I've known her for two days. I like her very much, from what I've seen of her over those two days," and he blushed just a little, "and to be frank, I would like to see what can develop with her." He looked at her with a softness in his eyes that calmed her just a little more. "But I have no intentions. To be quite frank, we were put in a situation that might challenge fully grown adults. It is not fair to expect either her, or me, to deal with this any more maturely than adults in our place would." He squeezed her hand, and her death grip on him relaxed, much to his relief. "Sir," he added, with only the perfunctory amount of respect included in that word.

Charles gazed at Harry for a full minute, and Harry returned the gaze in kind. Lavender looked back and forth between her father, and her… her… Harry. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but thought maybe it was a man thing, and maybe she was better off not being there after all. She was close to getting up and leaving when her father spoke.

"Well said," her father said, and the mood in the room changed noticeably. Harry relaxed a little, and her father dropped the mask.

"You have to understand, Mr. Potter. This is my daughter who currently has a death grip on your hand. My only daughter. She's everything I have, and everything I would have. I would make anyone who hurts her regret ever being born. But she…", he choked up a little bit. "She tells me you treat her well, and that you were gentle and considerate. Given the situation, I'm not sure I could have asked more of you. She speaks very well of you, Mr. Potter."

"She didn't ask for this, sir. Any more than I did. Circumstances out of my control forced me to take - forced her to give - something of a great deal of value to her. I had to respect that. I couldn't change the situation, but I could at least… make it as special for her as I could."

"It would seem you did that a little too well, Mr. Potter," Charles said with just a little smirk, and Lavender's face turned beet red. "I know my daughter, Mr. Potter. If she hasn't given you her heart, she's well on the way to doing so. Up to now, you have behaved as well as I can expect. But from now, the choice is still yours, as it's my understanding the requirements of the curse have been satisfied, if there was one to begin with. Don't hurt my daughter, Mr. Potter."

Lavender whispered harshly, "Daddy!"

"You wanted to stay, Lav-lav."

She lowered her eyes. It was true.

Harry took a moment to think about his response.

"You're right, sir." He looked at Lavender. "This is not a conversation I want to have in front of your father, but he's right." She gazed at him, and lowered her eyes.

"Dammit," she whispered. "He's always right."

Charles laughed. "I think the both of you will make the right choices. Harry, you have no parents to guide you, and from what my daughter tells you, the relatives you live with treat you very badly. Is that true?"

"It's fine. I only have a little while longer..."

"Don't!", Lavender hissed. "Don't do that. I saw the scars. Those scars don't come from people who treat you 'fine'. Don't be a bloody hero, Harry, and let someone care for you for a change." A tear trickled down her cheek. "You bloody took care of me, you bloody prat, now let me do the same for you!"

Harry sighed, let go of Lavender's hand, and stood up. She was about to scream at him not to go when he instead removed his robes. Then he took off his shirt. Then he turned around.

Charles' breath hitched. "Did they -?"

Harry put his shirt back on and sat down again. "Yes. They did. For many, many years."

Charles stood up, barely contained rage on his face. "Some people have a great deal to answer for. Mr. Potter, I give you my word. You will never have to return to your relatives again. Even if I have to take you in myself. If you will pardon me, I have some people to have some words with. Some very strong words."

He walked out the door without further preamble, and it shut behind him. The room was quiet for a couple of minutes.

"Harry?," Lavender said, and tentatively took his hand.

"Your father said that if you haven't yet given me your heart, you're well on the way to. Is that true?"

She looked away, and nodded once. "I meant what I said, Harry. I could love you. I could easily love you. If I don't already."

"It's only been two days."

She nodded. "It has. You're right. It's only been two days. In those two days, Harry, you made love to me. We keep calling it shagging, but it wasn't shagging. It was never shagging. I don't think you are capable of just shagging. You loved me, Harry, in a way I didn't think any boy ever would. Is it any surprise to you that I started to love you back? I know you didn't mean to play with my heart, Harry, and I am so, so grateful that you treated me as well as you did, but looking back on it, what did you expect, Harry? You loved me! You loved me, Harry!" She lowered her head. "I'm not just talking about the sex, Harry. I think I started falling for you when you insisted that I have a good time, too. You didn't have to, Harry. The curse was satisfied the moment you… released into me. You could have walked away right then, and I would have thought you were like all the other boys, and that would have been it. But you didn't. I don't think you could have. It's… not how you are."

She gazed at him, an intensity in her eyes that took him aback. "I'm not angry, Harry. I'm not upset. I'm not even hurt, at least not at the moment. I know you didn't mean to. It's not your fault, and it's not my fault, it's just how you are and it's how I am and I don't think I can not love you now even though I know we're complete strangers and… and… maybe it would have been better if we'd just shagged like animals. Maybe then my heart wouldn't be so on the verge of breaking."

Her eyes turned imploring "I'm sorry. Don't hurt me, Harry. Please don't hurt me."

She stood up, and opened the door. She looked back at him, tears in her eyes. "Please don't break my heart." Then she walked out and closed the door.

Harry sat at the table, shellshocked. He hadn't thought of that possibility, and it floored him. He had no idea what to do, and no one to talk to.

He sighed, and reluctantly stood up. Maybe taking a walk would help.

Harry sat on a bench next to the lake. It was very quiet, as it was early evening and many students were studying before dinner. He really didn't know what to do.

He saw someone sit down next to him, and he looked to his left. When seeing that it was Lavender's father, he looked back at the lake.

"Forgive my impertinence, but I'm in enough trouble now," Harry said morosely.

"She's not pregnant, is she?"

Harry's eyes bugged out. "What?," he said, whipping his head around. When he saw the look on Charles' face, he sighed. "Not helping," he said bitterly. "In fact, I'd never even thought of that."

"You didn't…"

"I don't know what Lavender did, but I didn't even think of it."

Charles shook his head. "You really don't know anything about anything, do you?"

Harry sighed, and just stared at the lake morosely.

Charles was quiet for a while. "This is why fathers are protective of their daughters, Harry. Maybe you'll understand someday when you have one of your own."

Harry turned to look at Charles. "I treated her as well as I possibly could, and look what it got me. Maybe you're right. Maybe I should have just used her and left. Sure, she'd hate me, and so would you, but at least now I wouldn't have to worry about breaking her heart because of circumstances I didn't ask for. This isn't fair! It's not fair to her, but it's not fair to me either!"

"It's not," Charles said definitely. "It's not fair. It's not fair to anyone involved. It's not fair to her, it's not fair to you, it's not fair to me. But it's where we are. What's done is done, on multiple levels. My daughter's heart is in your hands. What are you going to do about it?"

He patted Harry on the shoulder, stood up, and walked off.

Later that night, Harry opened the door to the abandoned classroom that he and Lavender had been meeting in. She was not there. So he decided to wait.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened hesitantly, and Lavender walked in, looking very much like a lost little girl. She closed the door behind her and walked over to Harry, and took a seat next to him. She drew her knees up to her chest and seemed to want to make herself as small as possible.

Harry reached over and tucked a ringlet of hair behind her ear.

"Don't, Harry. Not unless you mean it."

Harry sighed. "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't mean it."

Tears were threatening in her eyes. "I hate this, Harry. I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't want to give you my heart. I didn't want to fall for you. I didn't want any of this. But… but… but you loved me," she sniffled. "It's like you said, Harry. If you treat me like you would if you loved me, is it any different from loving me?"

Harry sighed. "Lavender, if I'd have known it would hurt you this much…"

"Stop it!", she said. "Stop being so noble and… and… perfect! Stop treating me like I'm your queen! Stop… stop loving me, Harry! Not until you mean it! It hurts too much!" She put her hands over her eyes and quietly sobbed.

Harry sighed and kept quiet. He didn't dare touch her at this point, but he let her continue to cry. Finally, with a sniffle and a hiccup, she had no more tears left, and rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand.

Finally he spoke. "The way I see it, Lavender, we have two choices. They are both very difficult choices, and they will both be painful in their own way. We can both walk out that door and never speak to each other again. Or we can commit to building a relationship together."

"Why only those two choices?"

Harry sighed. "I've been hurt enough in life. What we did together… it seems to have created a very strong bond between us. I don't know if it's that way for everyone, but I think it is for us. If we're going to break that bond, let's do it now and get it over with. If not, I don't ever want to break it."

She frowned. "I… think I see where you're coming from. If there's going to be broken hearts, let them break now."

"Do you want to walk out that door and never speak to each other again?", he asked softly.

She shook her head mutely.

"Neither do I," he said.

"Do you want to build a relationship with me?, " he asked just as softly.

She nodded her head mutely.

"I do too. With you, not with me."

She giggled and swatted his arm. Her eyes were still watery but he was glad to see her smile.

"I only have one condition."

"What's that?", she asked, a little hesitation on her face.

"I think it might be hard sometimes. Promise me you won't disappear when those tough times come."

She thought carefully. "I can't promise exactly that," she said. "We don't know what the future holds, and it has only been two days. But I promise I will work at it. On us." She looked into his eyes. "I really do want this to work, Harry. I promise that. I really, really will work at it. I think we have a potentially very good thing. I don't want to ever throw it away."

He nodded. "That's good enough," he said, quietly. "I promise the same thing. No matter how hard it gets. I will work hard at making us work."

She smiled. "So what are we?", she asked, lowering her eyes.

He thought for a moment. No word seemed right to describe it. "I don't know," he said, slowly. "Boyfriend/girlfriend" seems a bit too frivolous. "Lovers" seems too… trite. How about, "betrothed?"

She looked at him, mouth open. "You mean…"

"I don't know much about pureblood culture, Lavender. But I know that sometimes families contract with each other to marry off their offspring. They may not know or even have met each other, but they are betrothed. They will marry someday, but they have a long way to go before that happens, and a lot of getting to know each other to do. It seems to fit. After all, if we are committing to a relationship, wouldn't marriage be the ultimate result, somewhere down the line?"

She thought for a while. "It does fit," she said. "Betrothed. Betrothed. Betrothed", she said, rolling it off her tongue. Then she jumped off her chair and launched herself at Harry, wrapping herself around him and squeezing him tight.

"My betrothed!", she said, squealing happily. He smiled and squeezed her right back. Then she pulled back, looked at him, and kissed him soundly.

"My betrothed," she said, her voice much lower, as she touched his forehead with hers. "My betrothed."

An hour later, they were lying naked on a blanket, clothes scattered everywhere. Lavender was lying on her back, her arms over her head and her legs akimbo. She had a sheen of sweat covering her body, and her chest was heaving as she gasped softly. Harry was on his side next to her, gently caressing her body with his fingertips. She sighed softly and turned her head towards Harry.

"How does it get better?", she asked, with wonder in her voice. "I thought last time was perfect, and this was even more perfect!", she said. Harry's only response was to reach down and kiss her, and she snaked her hand behind his head and pulled him close to her. They languidly kissed each other for several minutes, until Harry had to come up for air. She smiled softly at him.

"I think last time, we had to," he said, quietly. "This time… this time we wanted to. I can't get enough of you," he said, earnestness in his voice.

She smiled and caressed his cheek. "I feel the same, Harry," she said, softly. "Very much the same." They stood up and dressed, and cleaning up all evidence of their activities, they gave each other one last kiss and left the room for the night.

Before breakfast the next day, they met in the common room before breakfast. They stole a very quick kiss when no one was watching, and then looked at the door.

"Do you… want to tell everyone today?," he asked. "You should know that when we 'come out' as a couple, there will be… a lot of attention paid to you. A lot."

She closed her eyes briefly. "No. But I want to sit next to you. And if people guess, well, I know gossip, Harry. I'm one of the worst." She looked a little ashamed. "It will be around the school by the end of breakfast and at least a couple of people will be insisting they saw us shag on the teacher's table. Maybe this is my come-uppance for being such a horrible gossip." She sighed. "I'm not going to pretend we aren't, but it's no one's business if we are. Just let them talk." She grabbed and squeezed his hand. "I have my Harry and that's all that matters to me."

"On the teacher's table…", he said, his eyes unfocused.

"HARRY!", she whisper-shouted. "You're incorrigible!"

He laughed. "I'm joking! But even if I am incorrigible," he focused on her eyes. "You did that to me."

She turned red and grabbed his hand, walk-dragging him over to the portrait hole. "Let's go and face the music," she said, her stomach growling on cue. "I'm hungry."

They walked into the great hall together. The entire school did not stop and turn to look at them. No one gasped and dropped their fork. Everything went along just as it had, but a couple of students were elbowing each other and pointing in their direction. They went over to the Gryffindor table and sat down, next to each other.

A few seconds later, Parvati Pati came running over with her plates in her hand and sat net to Lavender. "Is it true? Are you together?"

Lavender sighed and gave Parvati the stink-eye. "Does it matter? You've already decided and you'll tell ten different people before we leave this room."

Parvati frowned. "Since when did you become such a - It's TRUE! It's true, isn't it? You and Harry Potter! I want to know everything!", she squealed.

Harry spoke up. "So that every detail of our personal lives can be spread all over the school? I don't think so, Miss Patil."

Parvati frowned. "Lav-lav -"

"Parvati, you and I have been best friends since before we went to Hogwarts. I love you like a sister and you know that. But, for once, if my friendship means anything to you, just mind your own business, alright?"

Parvati frowned. "You're no fun anymore."

Lavender lowered her head. "If spreading gossip about people is fun… I guess I'm not. I know what it's like on the other side now. I see all of those people pointing and talking. I don't really like it very much. Maybe we can have a little sister talk later if you don't spread it around." She hissed the last four words.

Chastened and a little hurt, Parvati turned to her food. Lavender and Harry also ate in silence. This wasn't going to go very well.

It got worse when Hermione and Ron noticed a couple of minutes later. Hermione was trying to talk to Ron, and Ron was doing his best impression of a shop-vac. Hermione nudged him in the ribs, and he stopped in mid bite. He stood up, pushed his food away, and walked out of the hall, face beet red.

Hermione walked over and sat next to Harry. Without preamble, she said, "Are you -"

"Yes," Harry hissed. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't make a huge deal out of it.

Hermione looked at both of them, like she was trying to puzzle out the secrets of the Universe. Finally she nodded. "Wasn't my first guess, but I can see it. Treat Harry well, Miss Brown. He is a very important part of my life and I love him... like a brother." she added the last part just a little quickly. "If you hurt him, I will hurt you. If you take care of him… like he deserves to be taken care of," her eyes sparkled a little with an unshed tear, "you'll have no problems from me."

Lavender saw the unmistakable signs of unrequited love, and sighed inside. She took a bite of bacon, and chewed thoughtfully while inspecting Hermione carefully.

"I'm sorry, Miss Granger," she said, finally. "I'll take good care of him."

Hermione nodded. "That's… all I can expect," Hermione said, with a hitch in her voice. "You… can call me Hermione." She turned and began eating her food again, carefully avoiding letting Harry see her eyes.

Harry looked between Hermione and Lavender, clueless. "What just happened?", he whispered.

"I'll tell you later," Lavender whispered back.

Harry shrugged. Being a clueless boy had its perks sometimes.

A little while later, Draco Malfoy walked into the great hall, and saw the rearranging at the Gryffindor table. Putting two and two together, he sauntered over to have a look.

"Well, well," he said. "What do we have here. Potty, you do know that she's shagged half the boys in the school?" He turned to Lavender. "Lav-lav," he said in a mocking tone, "What's a pure blood like you doing cavorting with the likes of him? Can't you at least shag your own kind? I don't know what's worse. A trollop, or a blood-traitor trollop. You could still have me, you know."

Harry sighed. He spoke without turning around. "Lavender, do you hear something?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Nothing of importance."

Draco grabbed her by her hair. "I'm talking to you, bitch!"

Harry stood up, and socked Draco in the face. Draco let go of Lavender's hair, and fell down. He attempted to pull out his wand, but Harry stepped on his hand.

"Drakey-poo, you've been a minor annoyance for years. Ever since I took out your so-called 'Dark Lord' in first year. Not so much a 'lord', was he, being taken out by an 'ickle firstie? I've put up with your dragon dung for years, but it stops now. If you say one more word against Lavender, I will end you. Am I clear?"

Draco's face was one of abject terror. Harry bore down with his foot. "Am. I. Clear?", he asked again, with as much menace in his voice as he could muster.

Draco nodded, and Harry reached down and picked up Draco's wand. "I'll just be hanging on to this. Perhaps you can pick it up from your head of house. Now go back to your bitch and leave us alone."

Snape ran up to him. "Potter!," he said, his face contorted with rage. "I'll have you expelled for this!"

Harry sighed. "You've been saying that since first year. Still here. I'm starting to think you're having me on. They'd never dare expel the vanquisher of Voldemort." He offered Draco's wand, handle first. "You might want to return this to your student. After breakfast."

Snape grabbed it and stalked away. McGonagall stalked up to both of them, and said "Exactly what is the meaning of this?"

"Professor," Lavender said, her voice shaking a little.

"Silence, Miss Brown," McGonagall said loudly. "I am speaking with Mr. Potter."

"No," Lavender said, and stood up. "Malfoy grabbed my hair. Harry was protecting me. If you do not walk away right now, I will contact my father. He will be here as soon as he gets my letter, and you do not want to be on the receiving end of his temper. I'm prepared to consider Harry's actions sufficient recompense for the offense that Malfoy caused me, but the daughter of a Lord of the Wizengamot will not be treated in this manner. If I, or Harry, encounter any further issues from Malfoy or Professor Snape, I will contact my father, and you will find out exactly what happens when you mess with the wrong people. Am I clear?," she asked, in the same tone that Harry used when he was "talking" to Malfoy.

McGonagall nodded once and turned around, stalking off.

Lavender grabbed Harry's hand and dragged him out of the room. He followed her, not that he had much choice. She dragged him to the abandoned classroom and collapsed in a heap, shaking.

Harry sat down on the floor and scooped her up into his lap. She curled up into a little ball and began sobbing uncontrollably.

Harry did not know what to do, but he figured just being as comforting as he could was the best bet. So he just held her and let her cry it out.

Finally, she was down to sniffles.

"What's wrong?," Harry asked gently.

Lavender snuggled into him. "I didn't know how bad it was," she said. "Malfoy usually leaves me alone. He propositions me sometimes, and I ignore him. Many boys do, so I'm used to it. He's never gone that far, to actually physically assault me. In front of the entire Great Hall, at that!"

"He hates me that much, Lavender."

"But… but… the teachers were ready to punish you for it! For protecting me!"

Harry sighed. "That's what always happens. To be quite frank, if I weren't a celebrity, I'd already be expelled. Snape hates my guts with every fiber of his being, and McGonagall is worthless. All the teachers here are worthless."

"But Dumbledore…"

"He's the most worthless of them all," Harry said sadly.

Lavender was much calmer now. "We need to talk to my father anyway. You're… You're basically part of the family now, and you have no one to advocate for you. I can stand up for myself. I hate doing it, but I can. What can you do?"

Harry sighed. It was true.

She thought. "Maybe a lot, at that. But how can you know what to do when no one tells you? Yes, I need to talk to my father. We need to talk to my father."

She wiped her eyes, then reached up and kissed him.

"What was that for?," he asked.

"You protected me," she said. "I think that's worth a kiss."

She stood up, and walked towards the door. "I have a letter to send, Harry."

"I'll go with you. Who knows if Malfoy will try to ambush you."

She took his hand, and said softly, "I'd like that, Harry."

And they walked hand in hand to the owlery.

A/N: Let me try to anticipate some criticisms.

Criticism one: They sure are moving fast, aren't they? Well, yeah. There's a reason for that, and it's not just that they shagged each other. But that would be telling, wouldn't it?

Criticism two: Lavender isn't very shallow! Well, who said she was in canon? She does have stereotypically shallow interests, but looking at her in totality, she struck me as a girl who was obsessed with romance, wanted to be loved, and would glom onto any boy who'd even pretend to give that to her. It seemed only that most didn't even bother pretending.

Criticism three: They're in sixth year! Everything seems normal! Well, duh. It's an AU. That's the point. Harry vanquished Voldemort in year one. The death eaters are pissed at him, but are more interested in being fat and happy than getting revenge. Basically, the dark underbelly of the wizarding world is still as dark as ever, but nothing's revealed it.

Criticism four: Harry seems pretty well adjusted. He's actually not. But his school experience has actually been pretty normal in comparison to canon. So while he's had a lot to deal with, the whole "dealing with Voldemort" thing was taken care of in first year. He's just your normal, everyday, celebrity now.

Criticism five: Well, aren't they just a sappy, lovey-dovey couple. For now, yeah. It's a real relationship, though. I have no intention of putting them into this situation without a little bit of refining by fire.

Anyway, on to the next chapter, at some point. I think that one could probably be entitled "Good Grief, Charles Brown!"